Shorter University
Rome, Georgia · Private Nonprofit · 96.5% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 24/100 · Poor Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Shorter University earns a CampusROI score of 24 out of 100 and lands in the Poor Value tier. The Rome, Georgia Baptist liberal-arts university posts weak numbers across nearly every component. The earnings premium is just 14.4% over high-school-only peers, the payback period is 21.5 years, and the 0.68 debt-to-earnings ratio against $25,000 in median federal debt earns a sub-score of 32. Median earnings six years after entry are $36,600 and reach $44,604 by year ten, both modest figures for a private nonprofit charging $24,630 in sticker tuition. The single weakest sub-score is repayment at 7 (raw rate 45.4%), meaning more than half of borrowers are not actively reducing principal three years after entering repayment, a serious red flag. Completion rate is 37.7%, also below average. Net price comes in at $16,646 per year (a $7,984 discount off sticker), and four-year cost lands near $66,584. The graduate-by-major picture is bimodal: Registered Nursing produces a strong B-grade outcome, but most other programs (Business, Criminal Justice, Human Services, Kinesiology) carry D or F ROI grades. The honest read: Shorter is a place where a specific clinical track works financially and most other tracks do not.
The data raises concerns about Shorter University
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score24/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate37.7% - Well below the 60% national average. Non-completion is the fastest route to negative ROI.
- Payback period21.5 years - Most 4-year schools we track have payback periods of 4-10 years.
Shorter University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $24,630/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $24,630/yr |
| Average net price | $16,646/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $66,584 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $44,604 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $36,600 |
| Median debt at graduation | $25,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $265 |
| Estimated payback period | 21.5 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 37.7% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,028 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $24,630/year. Here's the part that matters - almost nobody pays that. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $16,646/year, or roughly $66,584 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $15,929/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $18,898/year.
Most students borrow to get here. The median graduate leaves owing $25,000 in federal loans, which works out to about $265 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Hold that up against the $44,604 the typical graduate earns ten years out: the debt-to-earnings ratio comes to 0.68, within the range advisors call workable but worth keeping an eye on.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $15,929 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $21,482 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $22,944 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $21,292 |
| $110,001+ | $18,898 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 face an average net price of $15,929 per year, totaling roughly $63,700 across four years. With ten-year median earnings of $44,604, this price is workable only for low-income students who land in the nursing program; for general majors it requires significant borrowing against a modest earnings tail.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001 to $75,000 bracket pays $22,944 per year, the highest cost on the page among reported income tiers. This is an inverted bracket worth flagging: middle-income families pay more than the lowest-income bracket AND more than the higher brackets above it, suggesting institutional aid is concentrated either at the lowest-need or at academic-merit applicants and effectively skips this middle band. Four-year cost lands near $91,800.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $18,898 per year, less than the middle-income brackets, an additional inversion. Four-year cost is roughly $75,600. Higher-income families with strong cash flow are paying less than their middle-income neighbors, likely reflecting merit-based scholarships flowing to academically prepared applicants from these households. The aid math at Shorter notably penalizes the middle.
Earnings by Major
Top 8 most popular majors at Shorter University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $63,873 | D |
| Registered Nursing | $75,924 | B |
| Teacher Education | $49,864 | C |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $42,558 | F |
| Psychology | $46,272 | - |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $56,677 | D |
| Human Services, General | $50,113 | F |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $50,887 | - |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Registered Nursing
Registered Nursing graduates 28 students per cohort with year-one earnings of $69,009 climbing to $75,924 by year four. With $26,942 in median debt, the 0.39 debt-to-earnings ratio earns a B ROI grade. This is the strongest program at Shorter and the financial story that rescues the school's value proposition for nursing-bound students. Northwest Georgia hospital placements drive solid clinical outcomes.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business graduates 39 students, the largest reported cohort. Year-one earnings of $47,140 rise to $63,873 by year four. However, median debt is unusually high at $37,987, producing an 0.81 debt-to-earnings ratio and a D ROI grade. The earnings trajectory is respectable but the debt load undercuts it; students considering Business at Shorter should pressure-test their aid package against University of North Georgia or Kennesaw State alternatives where in-state pricing produces dramatically better debt-to-earnings outcomes.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education graduates 23 students with year-one earnings of $39,460 and four-year earnings of $49,864. Median debt of $26,568 produces a 0.67 ratio and a C ROI grade. This tracks Georgia public-school starting-salary structure. Graduates entering the Georgia Teachers Retirement System get pension benefits not visible in earnings, which modestly improves the durable economics.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology graduates 21 students with year-one earnings of just $24,291 climbing to $42,558 by year four. Median debt of $26,000 against year-one earnings produces a 1.07 ratio and an F ROI grade. This is a program where the credential alone does not deliver labor-market value; students need to pair it with PT or athletic-training graduate study to see meaningful earnings, which adds further debt and time.
Human Services, General
Human Services graduates 10 students with year-one earnings of $30,167 and a notably high median debt of $46,320, producing a 1.54 debt-to-earnings ratio and an F ROI grade. This is the worst major-level outcome on the page. The unusually high debt likely reflects students completing supplemental certifications, but the labor-market return does not support borrowing at this level.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 39.2% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 45.4% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 45.9% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 53.8% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Shorter University’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2023).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 96.5% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 510-580 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 530-620 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 18-25 |
| Enrollment | 1,028 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 37.5% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $5,054 |
Shorter admits 96.5% of applicants, an essentially open-admissions posture. Reported SAT mid-ranges run 510 to 580 in math and 530 to 620 in reading; ACT composite is 18 to 25. The bands sit modestly below national averages, and the open admit policy combined with the 37.7% completion rate suggests a meaningful share of admitted students arrive without the academic preparation to finish on time.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Peer schools are Agnes Scott College, Clark Atlanta University, Mary Baldwin University, Barton College, and Southern Virginia University. Agnes Scott is dramatically stronger and not really comparable. Clark Atlanta and Mary Baldwin are the closer mid-size private peers; both produce somewhat better earnings outcomes than Shorter while charging similar sticker prices. Barton College and Southern Virginia University are the closest comparables on size and outcomes, both small private nonprofits with similar weak repayment rates and modest earnings tails. Among this peer set, Shorter sits in the bottom half on most financial metrics.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shorter University (this school) | 24 | $16,646 | $44,604 |
| Agnes Scott College | 45 | $24,754 | $56,274 |
| Southern Virginia University | 26 | $22,213 | $50,002 |
| Mary Baldwin University | 25 | $12,756 | $44,427 |
| Barton College | 24 | $23,626 | $47,913 |
| Clark Atlanta University | 14 | $37,702 | $42,712 |
Who Thrives Here
Shorter serves about 1,028 students with a 37.5% Pell rate. The fit case narrows by program: nursing-bound students get a genuinely strong outcome and a defensible cost-versus-earnings path. Students entering general liberal-arts, business, or kinesiology tracks should weigh the data hard, particularly the 45.4% repayment rate which signals that most borrowers struggle. Students drawn to the Baptist-college identity, the small-campus ethos, and the Rome, Georgia setting can find fit, but the financial path requires careful program selection.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
We'll be straight with you: the numbers at Shorter University are a real concern. With a net cost of $16,646 per year and the typical graduate earning only $44,604 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds 21.5 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost - go in with your eyes open.
What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, its 37.7% graduation rate, high debt relative to what graduates earn, concerning loan repayment rates, a long payback period.
Median debt of $25,000 against $44,604 in earnings is reasonable, though your major matters a lot here. Graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.